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Council clears a busy agenda

The Wadena City Council authorized signing the Small Cities Grant agreement from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

City Administrator Brad Swenson said that even with the Minnesota state government shutdown, they were told to go ahead and get started on environmental process; in other words, hire a consultant.

Wadena had been awarded a $482,962 grant to fix and rebuild some properties in Wadena County after the June 17, 2010 tornado.

The council approved Scott Rude and Sons for stump grinding.

The council passed two resolutions for a landfill land agreement: authority to sign the deed and authority to deal with the compliance boundary easement.

The council approved a new recommendation for street sign quotes. Public Works Director Ron Bucholz said there was a misunderstanding and the previous low bidder was now the high bidder. The new recommendation was I.D. Sign Solutions of Glencoe, Minn. for $25,355.86.

The council approved a recommendation of Arvig Communications Systems at $15,262 for a new telephone system for a majority of city buildings.

Swenson said it was a budgeted item, and that the judicial branch ruled that the state of Minnesota is obligated to give cities their state aid in July despite the government shutdown.

The council approved a recommendation from electric supervisor Dave Evans to amend the city's off-peak heat policy. The amendment crosses off the old line 3, "Secondary heating fuels of wood or coal shall not be acceptable." The beginning of line 2 is changed from "Each installation" to "Residential installations," and the phrase "or with electric heat storage" is crossed off.

The council set the dates and times of Aug. 23, 5 p.m. and Sept. 7, 5 p.m. to review the general fund budgets.

In department reports, Wadena Development Authority Director Dean Uselman said that Oasis Spas is no longer in business, but they are trying to get it reopened. He also said he was in communication with a veterinary student who is interested in starting a practice in Wadena.

In other department reports, Evans said that the city sent crews to Sauk Centre to help with cleanup from the July 10 windstorm.

Acting Mayor Jeanette Baymler said it was good because so many other towns had helped in the Wadena tornado aftermath last year.